I already had my excuse prepared. There was no way a priest could afford to pay me what I'd need to live in Philadelphia. Then I realized he'd said house. And that he'd already had several people employed there.
What the hell?
“To skip through the questions,” he said. “I have an estate that I've given to X. Should you wish details, I'll be happy to provide them. What you need to know at the moment, however, is that I am offering you a full-time job to be a live-in caretaker here in Philadelphia. You will have the top floor to yourself. Full healthcare, dental, vision. And I'll give you twice what you're making now.”
“You don't know what I make,” I said without thinking.
“Doesn't matter,” the priest said. “It's worth it if you can save him from himself.”
But no pressure.
Chapter Six
Xavier
I tilted my head back and let the sun warm my face. It had been so long since I felt it, I sometimes wondered if I'd imagined what it was like. I closed my eyes and soaked in the heat, feeling it caress my bare arms and chest as well. I breathed deep, enjoying the scents of the outside. I'd been inside for too long. I'd missed this so much.
The tranquility was shattered by a scream. Followed by another. And another.
I looked around, adrenaline flooding through me. Someone was in danger.
Except, when I found the source of the screams, the people were all looking at me. Horror, disgust, fear. I saw it all on their faces.
“Monster!” The little girl pointed at me.
The words came at me from all sides, raining down everywhere I turned.
“Freak!”
“Monster!”
I turned in a circle, searching for some kind of escape. But there were none. They were surrounding me, closing in on me. Screaming. Shouting.
I covered my head with my hands, falling to my knees. I just wanted it to stop, wanted them to leave me alone. I only wanted to be outside, to not have to hide in the dark anymore.
When the first rock hit me, it didn't even hurt. Then more came, and with them came the pain. I whimpered, cried out, asked them to stop. I begged for them to stop. I couldn't fight back. There were too many of them. And I was just me. Not even me anymore. I was less than I had been. Less than a man.
Then the pain stopped and there were arms around me. Gentle arms. Not hurting.
“Shh. It's okay.”
It was a woman's voice.
A voice I knew.
“It's okay, X. I've got you.”
“Nori.” Her name came out like a sob as I turned toward her, burying my face in the crook of her neck.
She ran a hand through my hair, then down the side of my neck. Her fingers moved across the scar tissue, but I didn't mind. She'd seen it before, touched it. She wouldn't be disgusted. Would she?
“You're not a monster, X.” She addressed my fear before I could give it voice. “You're not a monster. You're a hero. You save lives.”
I shook my head. “No. I don't. People die around me. It's my fault. I deserve this.”
“No, baby, you didn't.” Her hand cupped my chin, raising my head until I was looking at her.
She was even more beautiful than I remembered, and the compassion on her face made my heart ache.
“Why are you here?” I asked.
“For you.” She put her hand on my cheek, the side with the scars. “I'm here for you, baby.”
My hand went over hers and I closed my eyes as I leaned into her touch. I hadn't been touched like that in a long time. By a woman...never. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't quite believe that she was here for me.
“What do you want, Nori?” I couldn't even look at her when I asked it.
“You.” Her mouth brushed against mine. “I want you, X.”
I groaned, my hand sliding up her arm to the back of her head. I knew I should wait, should stop. But I wanted her so much, and she was right there, smelled so good. I pulled her toward me even as I moved toward her.
Our mouths crashed together, and there was no hesitation as I claimed her. Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me down onto her as she leaned backward. I eased us down onto the soft grass that wasn't grass anymore, but soft cotton sheets. I didn't care about that though. All I cared about were the lips moving with mine, the body beneath mine.
I took my time with her, exploring her mouth with my tongue even as I ran my hands down her sides, over her hips. She tasted like light and air. Like life. And I needed all of that. All of her.
My mouth moved from hers and trailed down her jaw. She whimpered, then gasped as I nipped at her throat.
“Do that again,” I ordered, my voice rough. “Make that sound again.”
I bit down, sucking on her skin until she writhed even as she did as I asked. The noises coming from her made something dark and primal uncoil inside me. I needed her naked, needed to feel her bare skin. I pulled at her clothes, seams splitting and cloth tearing under my greedy hands.